


Cupboard

by Luigi_Luigi



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Generic This is my First Fanfic speech, Hurt/Comfort, Other, a cupboard, and mention of insomnia!David, dadvid, he's already adopted this is like Second camp camp, max is an adopted?? boi?, mention of max's parents being Neglectful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-10-14 09:53:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17506385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luigi_Luigi/pseuds/Luigi_Luigi
Summary: Max hides when he's stressed out.





	Cupboard

**Author's Note:**

> Just like I told you, Benny, this is dedicated to you. Binch.
> 
> Anyone who isn't the Benny insulted above Look Out for my spelling/grammatical mistakes, possibly out of character interpretations, the fact that this whole fic is based on a headcanon?, and everything else. I wrote this late at night a long while ago and never intended for anyone else to read it. Fucking Benny.

It was a small cupboard. Max wouldn't say that he himself was small and that was why he picked it, but the closets were either too empty or full of shelves. Plus the other larger cupboards were above the counters. Half of them were locked too. 

  
He hadn't been sure if he could squeeze himself into it, at least not without getting stuck. It turned out it was perfect size. Enough to make him tuck into himself but not so much that he felt cramped and claustrophobic. When he closed the door of the cupboard, he was immersed in darkness. Not even a crack of light shone through the seam of wood. 

  
If there had been room he might have tilted his head back with a sigh, letting his body loosen like it was liquid. However, he remained in his curled up position even as he allowed his muscles relax. He liked the safe composure it gave him. He was in a defensive form, but able to be at ease. 

  
Max felt secure and was glad that he had found the little cupboard to hide in. He had been wearing thin, and the recent rush of activity the camp had brought had pushed his stress to its limits. 

  
David had been trying his best. He was doing just fine in Max's opinion, not that he'd ever tell him that. A lot of needs Max didn't even know he had were being met. He felt like he had been running down steps. It happened fast and it was almost strange how well Max adjusted to living with David. However, as things were being balanced out, some things changed. 

  
Camp was back and Max felt himself trip down those metaphorical steps. It wasn't bad, most of his grumbling being more out habit rather than true malcontent. The problem was that he felt like things had gone a little backwards or had been cut short. Max had gotten used to being one on one with David for a while. David taking care of him, giving him nearly all his attention almost constantly. Max trusted David and had become oddly attached to the man he once referred to as the "bane of his existence". He felt weird about it a lot of the time, often choosing to put it at the back of his mind where he didn't have to mull over it. 

  
Now though, it wouldn't stop nagging him. Max wasn't stupid. He didn't think David had abandoned him. He was right there for the whole summer, technically even more available since it was his job to be with the campers a majority of the time. He certainly didn't think the camp man had an off switch for caring about him specifically. He'd continually pointed it out through the day. Max still felt an absence though. Maybe he was selfish, the idea that David couldn't just ignore all the campers to focus on Max only was impossible. David was distracted by them though. Gwen could only handle so much in her own, and Max was often given the short end of the stick when it came to the spread attention on the campers. Normally he wouldn't mind being left alone, especially from the excessively happy counsellor. David seemed to be extra unbearable when ever he was in the camp grounds. Perhaps that's why he was easier to deal with at home.   


A lot of things had changed in Max's life though. It was all good, but Max still felt unsure and often stressed. It tended to frustrate him, no matter how many times David assured him that it was okay. That was another thing. David had become an assurance. A comfort that Max all too suddenly realised that he sought after quite a lot. His stress had built up as it, according to David, normally did. At home, Max could easily go to David and  find himself soothed. At camp though, David wasn't exactly available to only Max at any given moment. He understood, but he still hated it. Max was feeling unstable and David wasn't there to fix it, which only made him feel more distressed.   
He almost wanted to go find David and cuss him out without explanation. The idea of leaving the safety of the small, dark cupboard was suddenly unbearable though. He was out of practice with his emotional walls, kind of why he'd hidden himself in the first place when he felt himself starting to fall apart. He wasn't sure how long he would stay in there. Either he'd compose himself after a few hours or someone would find him. Max hoped it would be David. 

  
Max felt weary, despite having done nothing but sit tensely. He picked at a string on his hoodie. He felt almost bored, but didn't think he'd have enough energy to do anything even if he had brought something to do with him. Being trapped with his thoughts, however, were only exhausting him further. It was slowing becoming suffocating in the cupboard. Yet Max hesitated, letting his hand rest in the door. He still had next to no composure. If he had even a small break down with anyone but David to witness, he would be worse off than he was now. Almost angry, he pulled his hand back. He should really go find David. He could be quick, find him discreetly pull him aside and make him fix whatever was wrong. But he was also scared. Scared that David might reject him, not because he wouldn't care to help Max, but simply because he wouldn't have the time or attention span to do so. Max could be quick but he knew he wouldn't be able to handle the likeliness of that scenario happening. He would slip up and probably make David feel bad.  


Max frowned. Why should he care about making David feel bad? He wouldn't do it on purpose. He couldn't help how he was feeling. He wasn't even sure how to process why or what he was feeling. Which was why he talked to David in the first place instead of hiding in cupboards. Max sniffled and noted that his eyes were starting to water in his frustration. Well, he definitely wasn't leaving the cupboard anytime soon now.   
  
\---  
  
Max found that he'd ended up napping in the cupboard in his inevitable tiredness. He wasn't sure if he was cranky or just upset. Probably both. Neither were acceptable to allow him leave of the cupboard. Well, maybe the cranky part. Then again he might end up snapping at David and end up getting the opposite of what he wanted, what he needed. If he got scolded by David right now, it wouldn't matter how cranky he was he'd probably cry or some shit. Then laugh hysterically when he freaked David out. Something like that had happened before.   


Earlier when they were still getting used to each other, Max had been in a mood and had kept lashing out at David. David had scolded him and things escalated to the point where the older man had to grab hold of Max to keep him from smashing plates. Somewhere in the middle of it, Max had gone limp and simply starting sobbing. He clung to David, a sharp contrast to how he'd been trying to hit him moments before. Here, David seemed to have begun taking note of the pent up frustrations Max was letting build up until he broke, and starting trying to guide somewhat healthier ways for Max to dissolve his stress.  
Max was sure he was feeling lonely now. He had hardly hung out with his friends today, having hidden himself around lunchtime. Thinking of food reminded him that he hadn't actually eaten much today either. He'd had an egg for breakfast and had poked at the "mashed potatoes" for lunch. He wondered if it was near dinner time by now. He was technically in the mess hall and he could probably hear if anybody was in there. It was quiet though, and Max considered staying in the cupboard well into the night before seeking David.  


The man was an insomniac, unbeknownst to practically everyone besides Max. He was fairly sure the only reason he even knew was because he lived with the camp counsellor, by now almost always expecting to find him wandering around the house trying to busy himself into a couple hours sleep. David for some reason seemed to be self conscious about his problem. Max had a suspicion that it was from something underlying the man's facade of constant happiness, but never bothered to push him about it. He wasn't that cruel. At camp, David tended to stay in his cabin a lot more, to avoid the attention that came with wandering around the area in the middle of the night every night.   
The idea to wait was tempting, he had kinda been doing that this whole time, but Max was starting to accept the fact that his body was aching from being in the near same position for almost the whole day. David wouldn't find him here. Max had a habit of finding David himself when he was upset, not the other way around. Not to mention that David would likely only just now start to notice Max has been gone for so long. Not his fault, he was an airhead and distracted, a combination that was only going to keep Max in the cupboard until his bones froze up.   


In any case, Max was just... tired. If he had to, he would just slip into Davids cabin to wait in a, hopefully, more comfortable place until the man easily found him there later in the night. For now though, he would go look for said counsellor.   
Slowly he opened the door of his cupboard. He crawled out stiffly and looked around. He was near the kitchen, the mess hall in fact empty as he had been expecting. He quietly walked across the room, glancing at the clock above the doorway. It was just before dinner time. Max wasn't hungry. He slipped out into the clearing, hearing faint noises of activity from the other campers. He pulled up his hood and walked on. It was near dusk and whatever everyone was doing was coming to a close.   


He spotted David fairly easily and tried to not to make an obvious beeline for him, regardless of how much he found he wanted to just rush over to him and grab onto his legs. Max frowned at the urge. Gwen called out something along the lines of, "Dinner time, you little shits!", and the campers began heading over to the direction of the mess hall. David was at the back of the pack, making sure all the kids were caught up with Gwen. Max wasn't sure if he was glad that he wouldn't have to stand around and wait for other campers to pass him by before he did anything, or grumpy because he had to walk further to get to the camp man.    


David turned to Max's direction and he gave him a warm smile. He took a few paces off of Max's path to meet him.    


"Hey, Max! Where did you run off, too?" David asked him.    


Max shrugged. He wanted to snap at the man, a little bit. Though it came more from a place of habit rather than actual anger, but he was too emotionally drained to do so. However, a large part of him was glad for that, his thoughts drifting back to his cupboard  muses. Meanwhile, David's brows furrowed at Max's unusual silence.    


"I haven't seen you since this morning. I didn't really have the time to see where you went, but I figured you usually want some alone time away from me every so often anyways. Are you okay?" David checked.   


Max automatically wanted to recede back into himself, like he was used to doing his whole life. Like he had been starting to do again for the past week at camp. He dug at the dirt with his shoe. He could shrug once more and walk off, but David would just continue to leave him alone if Max made it seem like that's what he wanted. He had to be straightforward with the older man in order to get him to do what he wanted him to do. As much as it always pained him to lay his emotions out so openly to David, the current pain in his chest was starting to become overwhelming once more and Max was too tired to to compose himself in a cupboard again. He glanced behind him, none of the campers really in sight, before he shuffled over to David and leaned against him. 

  
He felt familiar comfort of David pulling him into a loose hug and he relaxed into it almost immediately. He hadn't realised he'd been so stiff earlier. Oddly enough he felt even more weary now that he was getting what he wanted. 

  
"Having one of those days?" David asked. Max didn't answer.

"What's bothering you, hm?"

  
Max shrugged. He didn't really know why he'd suddenly felt so out of place earlier, nor why it had escalated so much. David rubbed his back.   


"Okay. How about you head back to my cabin and wait for me, I have to help Gwen settle everyone else down in the mess hall. That shouldn't take too long, though." David said, gently pulling Max from him. Max nodded at his request, but fidgeted anxiously anyways. He didn't want to be put off any longer. David seemed to notice his rising distress. He gave Max a smile and ruffled his hair.    


"I promise I'll only take a minute. See if you can beat me back to the cabin, okay?"   


He stood and waited until Max slowly started to shuffle in the direction of the counsellors cabins before he headed off to his first destination. Max watched David jog off toward the mess hall. He was starting to feel extremely upset, the amount of emotion felt very sudden considering his recent interaction should have significantly quelled his distress. Was that... jealousy? He kicked at the dirt in time with one of his steps. He'd gotten a fleeting comfort from David before the busy man was distracted by something else. It dawned on him that that had been happening a lot recently. No, the man wasn't out right ignoring him in favour of the camp. But it hadn't occurred to him, or Max really, that the brief interactions were not enough to satisfy someone like Max for such a long period of time. Max knew fully well that Davids actions could fall way short of his intentions, and his accidental neglect of Max didn't reflect how much he did in fact care about him. 

However, it was playing hard on Max's previous way of life and it was subconsciously stressing him beyond belief. Not to mention heightening his fear from the even more hidden away thoughts of how much more it would hurt for someone Max trusted so much to truly treat him like that. Thank God Max knew how to be rational.    


Max reached the counsellors cabin and stepped inside. He was still tired and missed Davids attention, but he felt slightly less weighted now that he had finally figured out why he had gotten so bothered before. He would tell David and the man would fix it, somehow. Max would make him, no way was he going to go through this every other week for the whole summer.   
  
\---  
  
"I'm sorry I've been so busy with the camp and all." David apologised. He was currently laying in bed, Max curled up at his side. He rubbed the younger's shoulder soothingly, able to sense the anxiety still embedded in him. Max simply fidgeted with the hem of Davids shirt, having gripped it possessively in his hands.  


Max had done his best to explain what had been troubling him, knowing what he wanted to say but having difficulty in finding the right words. Luckily, David already kind of understood what Max was trying to get at. David was unfortunately aware of how much he was being kept away from Max. David had fine tuned himself to how Max functioned as best he could. For the most part he's proud to say he'd done a fairly good job.   


Max had a lot of problems, but specifically they tended to relate to his extreme neglect from his former parents. One of the results was that Max was extremely touched starved. Technically Max was hardly a person who really liked to be hands on with affection, unlike David who lived for things like hugs. He liked his alone time and if bothered too much was very likely to become irritated. That was what most people were submitted to and understood about Max. However, David had managed to be  one of, no, the only person to get past that point.    


As Max slowly began trusting him and opening up to him more and more, David found that half the time Max receded into himself he actually wanted to reach out to someone else. The boy had become so used to not doing so from lack of response to said reaching, by fault of his parents, that it had become a defence mechanism of sorts. By shutting out people he kept himself safe from the emotional hurt that occurred by rejection. It took a breakdown for it to finally click for David. Max had reduced himself to an utter sobbing wreck and out of instinct David had pulled him close to comfort him, to which he found Max uncharacteristically clinging to him.   


Sometimes it was difficult to find the balance between how much space to give Max and how much extra attention to give him. He had at least managed to get Max to be a little more straightforward with him. Max craved affection and attention from David once he had surpassed any doubt that his guardian wouldn't give it to him, especially when he was upset. As of recently, the stress Max had been feeling had been doubled thanks to the origin it stemmed from. Max was deathly afraid of being neglected and while David had done nothing near as bad as the boy had experienced before, the familiarity of it gave Max a great amount of anxiety.    


David could try and convince Gwen in private to take full charge every so often, in order for him to put more focus on Max specifically. She'd hate him for it, but if he explained things right she should understand. Max would near kill him if he went around giving each and every detail of Max's life involving David or his negative experiences to the any of campers, including Gwen. David himself was at least hesitant when he thought about bringing up the subject. Only Gwen, Nikki and Neil really had any clue that Max was even with David now. However, Gwen probably wouldn't mind dealing with a few more problematic campers temporarily if it was made clear that her only other option was to deal with Max when he snapped inevitably. Max had been close to that point now and David wondered if wherever he had gone was the only reason he had managed to reserve himself. He really did need to pay more attention.   


For now, he simply held onto his kid. Max soon relaxed enough to let his exhaustion wash over him and he fell asleep to David’s lulling comfort. 


End file.
